Uh huh...
Dropbox is not a tool for developers
51–60 of 73 posts
Re: Dropbox is not a tool for developers
#52Lots of posts in here talking about how Dropbox isn't for version control and "just use git" and such, but the systems aren't mutually exclusive and so these comments aren't helpful, IMO. Just because Dropbox isn't a proper version control system doesn't mean it isn't (or couldn't be) useful for developers. I use git daily but I also use a syncing program (first Live Mesh, then Dropbox, now Google Drive) to sync my s…
That may work for the lone developer, but what happens when you're on a team with shared Dropbox folders, all working on the same code base concurrently. I understand your reasoning, and I'm not trying to say you are incorrect in doing this as it's a very legitimate use case. It is, however, important to understand that using Dropbox in this way, in the context of syncing the git repo for teams, is a step backwards.
It makes no difference if I'm working alone or on a team. Syncing locally changes nothing about my source code control usage. I'm still pushing my changes into a shared repo (on a remote server) when it is time to do that, but since I'm syncing locally (including my .git directory usually) I can push from any one of three different machines, whichever I happen to be working on when it is time to do the push.
Re: Dropbox is not a tool for developers
#53Earlier quoted context omitted.
Did you even read what I wrote? My whole post was based on the premise that using Dropbox (or another similar sync program) and git (or another similar version control system) aren't mutually exclusive. Yet you continue to make it an either/or argument.
Yes, they aren't mutually exclusive; but I just don't see the point of Dropbox at all . Edit: The fact that Dropbox won't merge just seems to me like going backwards, and makes it utterly useless for syncing, IMHO. Since git will merge, and it syncs, why do you need Dropbox?
The point of Dropbox is the same point of git-annex-assistant. The fact that project exists proves there is a desire for this functionality.
Re: Dropbox is not a tool for developers
#54Why are you putting build directories in a folder that's autosync'd? My Dropbox directory absolutely has a git directory in it. And each project gets its very own 'remote' repo in Dropbox's git folder (mkdir new_proj.git; cd new_proj.git; git init --bare). I do work from $THIS_COMPUTER behind the corporate firewall, I push to Dropbox (git push dropbox master); I sit down to $THAT_COMPUTER at home and pull from Dropbox; build products, indexes, and all that jazz that happens frequently stays away from Dropbox.
So Dropbox becomes my 'server' with omnipresence on the 'net so that I don't need a VPS and don't have to expose a server at home to the world. Dropbox deleted a file? I've got the repo in other places.
Putting your working project directories inside Dropbox, editing and compiling in the same place? DOIN IT RONG
Re: Dropbox is not a tool for developers
#55Lots of posts in here talking about how Dropbox isn't for version control and "just use git" and such, but the systems aren't mutually exclusive and so these comments aren't helpful, IMO. Just because Dropbox isn't a proper version control system doesn't mean it isn't (or couldn't be) useful for developers. I use git daily but I also use a syncing program (first Live Mesh, then Dropbox, now Google Drive) to sync my s…
Using dropbox to sync code for the purpose of quickly switching between machines seems like asking for trouble when there are network problems or conflicts...
Re: Dropbox is not a tool for developers
#56Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes, they aren't mutually exclusive; but I just don't see the point of Dropbox at all . Edit: The fact that Dropbox won't merge just seems to me like going backwards, and makes it utterly useless for syncing, IMHO. Since git will merge, and it syncs, why do you need Dropbox?
The point of Dropbox is the same point of git-annex-assistant. The fact that project exists proves there is a desire for this functionality.
But the biggest thing annex-assistant adds is the automation of syncing; syncing is already builtin to git.
Edit: sorry for being so tendentious (yes, I like big words :). I'm just really having a hard time "getting" Dropbox as it seems like a poor, closed source replacement for rsync. Git can be used as a glorified rsync that will resolve 90% of multiply edited files, plus it gives you change history, and you're not locked into one company. I understand that git doesn't run on the iPad, but that sounds like a problem with the iPad, not git ;) Git runs fine on not just my Android devices, but my Maemo devices as well.
Re: Dropbox is not a tool for developers
#57I don´t think that Dropbox is intended to work as a substitute to Git, I know I´d never use it like that. Nevertheless, I developed my own version of Github using Box (http://bit.ly/yZvl2a) just for the fun of it, because I think that Github sometimes gets a little complex for simple projects.
The idea is to drag-and-drop instead of using the console and the app to be smart enough to recognize that you´re doing and update, and instead of forks it just creates another folder for the same project. It also reduce the hassle of the SSL keys.
So far, so good. Even though I don´t know if under Box terms it´d be feasible as a business, I haven´t checked out the Dropbox API but I guess it´d be easy to implement, and I´m also cheking the Mega API (Kim Dotcom new cloud storage)s since it seems to be a little less restrictive about what you can or can´t do with the API.
Re: Dropbox is not a tool for developers
#58Lots of posts in here talking about how Dropbox isn't for version control and "just use git" and such, but the systems aren't mutually exclusive and so these comments aren't helpful, IMO. Just because Dropbox isn't a proper version control system doesn't mean it isn't (or couldn't be) useful for developers. I use git daily but I also use a syncing program (first Live Mesh, then Dropbox, now Google Drive) to sync my s…
Using dropbox to sync code for the purpose of quickly switching between machines seems like asking for trouble when there are network problems or conflicts...
Syncing your files between your devices is Dropbox's raison d'etre.
Re: Dropbox is not a tool for developers
#59I use Dropbox for collaborating on anything BUT source code. Don't put repos in Dropbox. Who the heck ever thought that was a good idea?
I'd like to know why this is a problem. I always have a dropbox remote on my projects. Doesn't matter if it thinks a file suddenly doesn't exist because it's not the only place a my repos exist.
Certainly don't use Dropbox as a working directing. Not Smart®
Re: Dropbox is not a tool for developers
#60Lots of posts in here talking about how Dropbox isn't for version control and "just use git" and such, but the systems aren't mutually exclusive and so these comments aren't helpful, IMO. Just because Dropbox isn't a proper version control system doesn't mean it isn't (or couldn't be) useful for developers. I use git daily but I also use a syncing program (first Live Mesh, then Dropbox, now Google Drive) to sync my s…
They are very useful, but for different kinds of data.
I keep my source in git, so I get proper versioning, commits, etc.
I keep all my stuff - data files, notes, documentation, agreements, tool installations, ebooks, tools/code made by others in dropbox, so they are the same everywhere.
But the git folders are outside of dropbox. The version control takes care of syncing the code, but there are all kinds of .gitignored files such as IDE path configuration and compiled binaries that differ (and must differ) between my computers. Heck, even most of the code files are different, because their line endings are converted to win or unix style.